I was very surprised to see the number of top shelf pellets and "must only use in Traeger" products that DO NOT contain the base flavor hardwood as a primary component of the pellet. Watch this video. Very informative!
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These people make a lot of this type of video. The general consensus I read about them, says its totally AI. Totally done for clicks and Adsense checks from Google. They've done this type of video on several barbecue subjects. The first one I got in my feed was about charcoal.
Any more, if it even hints at being AI ......... I don't believe it.
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And the intro graphic with RFK Jr.would be defined as strictly clickbait to me. He has nothing to do with the subject of pellet manufacture, which leads me to question whether any information that follows can be trusted.
As a born cynic I do read labels and make my own decisions with no regard to marketing. I do know I have used Cook-in-Pellets for over a decade and am satisfied with that choice.
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Quite a few folks will totally dismiss vids like that because it's AI generated content. And while there is some accurate information in there to learn from, there's likely some iffy statements as well. Just like information gathering over the entirety of mankind, it's a piece of knowledge worth considering but should be compared to provable information as well.Comment
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Just go to their channel page and look at their videos. They began uploading one month ago and they're churning them out dam near daily. Uploaded 38 videos in one month.
And they all have sensational titles. This is the modern day version of yellow journalism.
Its all about the cha-ching.
Its not worth the time to find that iota of truth that's not an exaggeration or misrepresented. -
The whole point of every vid on YT is to get views which leads to revenue. Are you going to disparage every one of them using that logic? I just think its foolish to dismiss the information without considering its veracity. You claim there may only be an iota of truth there but don't factually dispute anything presented much less reduce it to an iota. While I share some distrust of AI generated material the reality is we're going to have to figure out navigating AI material going forward. -
i'm with lynn. AI slop is not worth my click/time. you're using a lot of flowery language to defend something that a few people generated by scraping information that real humans already gave us in the first place.
no one, especially not AI, gets 10 minutes of my time for me to decide if what i just watched had anything valuable.
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Comments above duly noted. That being said, and if nothing else, an interesting look at the pellet industry. To cut to the chase, and if this guy is correct, the best brands are Lumberjack; Cookin' Pellets; and Barbequers Delight. I've never heard of or seen any of them!Comment
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All 3 of those brands are good, though I'm not as big a fan of LJ as some folks are. However, we have been blessed to receive information about pellets straight from the source over the years and I'm sure if there were any questions about what's and hows that CandySueQ would likely respond. Can also check her post history about pellets to see the info she previously provided. https://amazingribs.com/about-us/mee...dy-sue-weaver/
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Traeger settled a $1.5 million lawsuit regarding the labeling of their pellets containing 100% hardwood. They admitted to no wrongdoing. I will be a better consumer and check the content of hardwood moving forward in any and all pellets I purchase.Comment
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I have tried different pellets and keep going back to the same Traeger pellets I get at Costco.
Although different brands of pellets are produced at the same facility does not mean they are made to the same standards and same quality. From quick visual inspection it seems Traeger pellets are smaller in diameter and compressed tighter than other brands of wood pellets.
I am finishing a bag of Bear Mountain pellets. I am giving them a try due to a great price at the Chef's Store.
I'll be going back to Traeger pellets, but I am open to ideas.
Pellets Matter: 6 Pellets Compared Head-to-Head | Mad Scientist BBQ Last edited by bbqLuv; May 27, 2026, 05:30 PM.Comment
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I used exclusively CookinPellets or LumberJack for years because I didn’t want 60-80% oak or alder base wood. I still look for those brands when I can find them, but at the camper neither are easy to find. So, I’ve been using other brands competition/special blends because I think they often use less oak base wood, but companies outside of CP and LJ don’t specify what’s in them outside of 100% hardwood.Comment
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